This week's Family Dinner Table Talk, from HuffPost and The Family Dinner book:
Topic: The discovery of the Anzu wyliei dinosaur
Story to read: "Chicken From Hell" Dinosaur Discovered In The Dakotas
What to say to your kids: After studying skeletons found in the Dakotas, paleontologists -- scientists who study fossils -- recently discovered a 66-million-year-old dinosaur called Anzu wyliei. They say it's one of the largest North American feathered dinosaurs. Our friends at HuffPost Science report: "Researchers ... determined that A. wyliei likely sported a crest and feathery forelimbs. It also had a long neck, a short, thick tail, and killer claws. The dinosaur was more than 11 feet long and weighed around 440 to 660 pounds." In other words, it looked like a gigantic chicken.
Questions for discussion:
- Do you have a favorite dinosaur?
- How do you think scientists are able to discover a dinosaur's age?
- Why is it important for paleontologists to keep digging for fossils?
In her cookbook, The Family Dinner, Laurie David talks about the importance of families making a ritual of sitting down to dinner together, and how family dinners offer a great opportunity for meaningful discussions about the day's news. "Dinner," she says, "is as much about digestible conversation as it is about delicious food."
We couldn't agree more. So HuffPost has joined with Laurie and every Friday afternoon, just in time for dinner, our editors highlight one of the most compelling news stories of the week -- stories that will spark a lively discussion among the whole family.